Persistent, immersible and extractable avatars

ABSTRACT

Avatar data is stored in a management application. The management application sends an immersion request to the application. The management application identifies the avatar data fields used by the application, and any appropriate scaling and avatar transformation. The management application scales the data appropriately, transforms the avatar if necessary, and transmits the (scaled and transformed) avatar data to the application. When the avatar is to be removed from the application, the application transmits the avatar data back to the management application, which integrates any changes to the avatar data into the original avatar data.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This patent application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/913,837, filed Aug. 5, 2004, now allowed.

FIELD

This invention pertains to avatars, and more particularly to avatarsthat can be used in computers with multiple applications.

BACKGROUND

Webster's Third New International Dictionary (unabridged) defines“avatar” as “the descent and incarnation of a deity in earthly form; . .. an incarnation or embodiment in human form; . . . a remarkablycomplete manifestation or embodiment usu[ally] in a person, of aconcept, philosophy, or tradition; . . . a variant phase or version of acontinuing basic entity sometimes implying no more than a change in name. . .” (WEBSTER'S THIRD NEW INTERNATIONAL DICTIONARY 150 (2002)). As theterm is used in the computer arts, the intended meaning lies somewherein between these definitions, perhaps best described as a representationof the person in an application.

In terms of use, avatars in the computer arts (hereafter describedsimply as avatars) find their most prominent use in computer games,although other uses exist. Games such as Asheron's Call (a registeredtrademark of Turbine Entertainment Software Corporation) allow manydifferent players to meet online and play cooperatively (or not). Eachplayer assembles a representation of herself, selecting a charactertype, a preferred graphical representation for the player, and equippingthe graphical representation with information and supplies. Thisgraphical representation, acting in the player's stead, is an example ofan avatar.

But avatars as used today are limited to individual environments. Aplayer cannot take her avatar from Asheron's Call and insert that avatarin a different game (except possibly for successor games by TurbineEntertainment). Thus, if the player wants to play a different game, shemust create a different avatar for the different game. This requiredreplication means that the effort put into creating one avatar is of noadvantage for creating an avatar in a different environment. Worse,there is no way to carry over any of the details of the avatar from onegame to another, which means that any time spent developing thecharacter beyond its creation must also be reproduced.

Embodiments of the invention address these problems and others in theart.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a management application interfacing with multipleapplications to instantiate avatars in the multiple applications,according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows details of the management application of FIG. 1, accordingto embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows details of one of the applications of FIG. 1, according toembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a procedure for using a management application to insert anavatar in an application in the system of FIG. 1, according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 5A-5C show a procedure for using an application to instantiate anavatar received from a management application in the system of FIG. 1,according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a management application interfacing with otherapplications to instantiate avatars in the multiple applications,according to an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 1, managementapplication 105 is responsible for managing the avatars and theirinsertion (or immersion) into various applications, such as applications110 and 115. Although FIG. 1 shows only two applications, a personskilled in the art will recognize that there can be any number ofapplications into which an avatar can be inserted.

To store the avatars, management application 105 includes data store120. In FIG. 1, data store 120 is shown as storing three avatar data125, 130, and 135, but a person skilled in the art will recognize thatdata store 120 can store any number of avatar data.

When an avatar is to be immersed in an application, the application doesnot need to store data for the avatar: the application receives the datafrom management application 105. Management application 105 communicateswith the application, determining what data the application needs. Then,management application 105 transmits the data to the application,enabling the avatar to interact with the application. For example, FIG.1 shows management application 105 communicating with applications 110and 115 using communication lines 140 and 145, respectively.

Communication lines 140 and 145 can be any desired lines ofcommunication, including networks such as Local Area Networks (LANs),Wide Area Networks (WANs), or the Internet. Hardware can include wirednetworks such as Megabit or Gigabit Ethernet, or wireless networks suchas any of the IEEE 802.11 wireless network standards or a Bluetoothnetwork. The networks can use an infrastructure or can be ad hoc. Anydesired protocols can be used to transmit data over the communicationlines, such as the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol(TCP/IP) or the User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

While FIG. 1 shows management application 105 transmitting two copies ofavatar data 125 (shown as copies 150 and 155) to applications 1 and 2(numbered 110 and 115), a person skilled in the art will recognize thatgenerally an avatar is immersed in only one application. Immersing anavatar in more than one application at a time can result in the avatargaining experience in one application that is inconsistent with theexperience of the avatar in the other application. But if managementapplication 105 has the ability to integrate avatar data coming from twodifferent applications and to resolve potential experiencecontradictions, then management application 105 can immerse the sameavatar in multiple applications simultaneously. In addition, as shownbelow, there are situations in which is advantageous for an avatar to beimmersed in multiple applications simultaneously.

Ideally, management application 105 would be responsible for storing alldata relating to every avatar. But in practice, it can happen that someapplications use avatar data that are specific to the application, andnot needed by any other application. While management application 105can be responsible for storing this data, an alternative is to make theapplication responsible for storing avatar data specific to thatapplication. As shown in FIG. 1, application 110 includes data store160, which is shown storing avatar data 165 specific to application 110.When avatar data 150 is transmitted to application 110, application 110integrates application data 150 with application-specific data 165before the avatar begins interacting with the application.

After the avatar is finished using the application, the application canthen return the avatar data to management application 105 usingcommunication lines 150 and 155. The application can return all of thedata to management application 105, even data generated by theapplication that was not in the data provided by management application105 (provided the data is data that would be used by other applicationsin immersing the avatar). The application can also storeapplication-specific data in its data store.

For avatars to be immersible in multiple applications as shown requiresan agreement on the standards for avatar immersion. In one embodiment ofthe invention, standards are set by a certifying organization. Thiscertifying organization can be responsible for defining how avatars arestored by management application 105, what types of data can be storedby management application 105, how the messages passed betweenmanagement application 105 and the applications are structured andtransmitted, etc. Then, to support immersible avatars, each applicationhas to conform to the standards: that is, the application has to becertified by the certifying organization.

Another function that can be performed by the certifying organization isdetermining the appropriate scales for each application. As will bediscussed below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, one function performedby management application 105 is to scale the avatar data beforetransmitting it to the application. Different applications can be easieror harder than others in terms of the effort required to gain experienceand to develop the avatar. To account for these differences in internaldifficulty level, the standard-setting or certifying organization canreview each application, and as part of the process of qualifying theapplication to use immersible avatars can determine where theapplication fits on a scale relative to one used by managementapplication 105. A person skilled in the art will recognize that morethan one scale might be appropriate, depending on the application. Forexample, an application might be more difficult with respect to oneavatar attribute, but easier with respect to another.

As an example of how the certifying organization could operate, consideravatars in multi-player gaming environments. One such gaming applicationmight be set in an environment that uses a bow and arrow, provided theavatar takes a “course” in archery. Another such gaming applicationmight instead use a more “modern” weapon, such as a rifle. Learning touse a bow and arrow is a more difficult skill than learning to use arifle, but the tools themselves are essentially interchangeable. Thus,rather than having management application 105 store informationseparately for each skill and tool, as avatars progress through learningthe skills, management application 105 can store scaled datarepresenting the effort expended. And if two avatars using the differentgaming applications exert the same amount of effort to learn therespective skills, the avatar learning to use the bow and arrow will bescaled more highly than the avatar learning to use the rifle. Then, ifthe avatar learning to use the bow and arrow switches to the gamingapplication with the rifle, the experience level will be scaled to alower level, reflecting the difference in difficult levels of theskills.

To help explain this more clearly, assume that the skills have differentlevels of mastery, such as novice proficiency, intermediate proficiency,and expert proficiency. Further, assume that achieving each level ofmastery for the bow and arrow requires six units of effort, and eachlevel of mastery for the rifle requires four units of effort. If aplayer has completed three of the four units in attaining noviceproficiency with a rifle, that would be analogous to having learnedroughly four of the six units toward attaining novice proficiency with abow and arrow. Thus, while only one unit would remain unlearned with therifle, two would remain unlearned for the bow and arrow. Going in theother direction, if a player had expended three of the six units towardattaining novice proficiency with a bow and arrow and then switched tothe other gaming application, only two units would remain to learninghow to use a rifle.

Because users can (usually) remove avatars from the environments at anytime, the avatar data would store data relating to the effort expendedin learning the skill. Thus, if the avatar is removed from the bow andarrow environment after reaching an intermediate proficiency, that wouldbe represented by 12 units of effort. When the avatar is immersed in therifle environment, 12 units of effort would represent expertproficiency, meaning that the avatar might have better aim, or be fasterin reloading the rifle.

Although learned skills such as using bows and arrows or rifles are onetype of data that can be scaled, a person skilled in the art willrecognize that any data in the avatar data can be scaled. For example,physical, mental, emotional, educational, and other attributes of theavatar can be stored and scaled. As a more specific example, someavatars might include attributes such as intelligence, charisma,strength, wisdom, etc.: attributes that are intangible and, to someextent, difficult to change once set.

Although applications can use the same avatar data, if the fields usedby the applications are only relatively compatible, scaling might not beall that is needed to make the avatar fit the application. For example,the graphic representation of an avatar within an application mightvary, depending on the particular application: one gaming applicationmight use avatars that are chosen from human ethnic groups, whereasanother gaming application might use offer avatar representations basedon alien species, but without ethnic subcategories. For example, a StarTrek® environment might offer human, Klingon®, Romulan®, and other alienspecies for the avatars. (Star Trek, Klingon, and Romulan are registeredtrademarks of Paramount Pictures Corporation.) Thus, as part ofimmersing an avatar into an application, the data might need to betransformed to a form appropriate to the application. Thistransformation can be done automatically (if an appropriate mapping canbe easily determined), or can be done manually by letting the userselect the desired transformation. The transformation can also be doneeither by management application 105, or by the application into whichthe avatar is being immersed. If management application 105 performs thetransformation, then the various applications are saved the individualburdens of performing transformations. But if the individualapplications perform the transformations, they can potentially customizehow the transformations occur to their best advantage.

As part of being certified, it is not required that an application useall possible data fields. For example, an application might permit anavatar to gain experience and to interact with objects, but not toactually carry any objects. This application can be certified withoutneeding management application 105 to provide carried objects as part ofimmersing the avatar into the application.

FIG. 2 shows details of the management application of FIG. 1, accordingto embodiments of the invention. In FIG. 2, management application 105is shown as including several components. Requester 205 is used torequest the data fields and the scaling of those fields the applicationuses, which store avatar data, for the immersion. Normally, managementapplication 105 requests this information from the application as partof the request to immerse the avatar, but a person skilled in the artwill recognize that this information can be request from a third-partyentity: e.g., the certifying organization. Selector 210 selects from thedata store (shown in FIG. 1) data that correspond to the fields used bythe application. Scaler 215 is responsible for scaling the data to anappropriate level for the application, for reasons like those discussedabove. Transformer 220 is responsible for transforming the data to aform appropriate for the application, as discussed above. Interface 225is used to communicate with the application (that is, to transmit theinformation from requester 205, and to transmit the avatar after it hasbeen scaled and transformed by scaler 215 and transformer 220,respectively.)

Receiver 230 receives data from the application about the avatar, afterthe avatar has finished interacting with the application. (Again,interface 225 is used in this communication.) Integrator 235 isresponsible for integrating the data back into the data store, as someof the data might have changed while the avatar was immersed. Note thatmanagement application 105 should not delete the avatar data while theavatar is immersed, because the application might not need (or even beable to use) all of the avatar data. Thus, integrator 235 merges thereceived avatar data back into the original data still in the datastore.

FIG. 3 shows details of one of the applications of FIG. 1, according toembodiments of the invention. Application 110 is shown as includingreceiver 305, used to receive a request to immerse an avatar into theapplication. Transmitter 310 responds, specifying the data fields usedby application 110 for avatars. (Transmitter 310 can also be used totransmit the avatar data back to the management application, after theavatar is removed from application 110.) Application 110 can use avatartemplate 315 to store the data fields application 110 uses. Avatarinstantiator 320 is responsible for taking the avatar data received fromthe management application, using that data to fill the data fields fora new avatar, and instantiate the avatar into the application. Finally,application 110 can include transformer 325, which performs thetransformation described above.

FIG. 4 shows a procedure for using a management application to insert anavatar in an application in the system of FIG. 1, according to anembodiment of the invention. In FIG. 4, at step 405, the managementapplication sends a request to immerse an avatar in an application. Atstep 410, the management application receives the data fields and theirscaling used by the application. As discussed above with reference toFIG. 2, the management application normally receives the data fields,along with their scaling, from the application, but can alternativelyreceive this information from a third-party entity, such as thecertifying organization. At step 415, the management application scalesthe data requested by the application. At step 420, the managementapplication transforms the avatar to a form acceptable to theapplication. As discussed above, the management application does notneed to carry out the transformation, in which case step 420 can beomitted, as shown by arrow 425.

At step 430, the scaled and transformed data is sent to the application.At step 435, the management application receives updated avatar datafrom the application. At step 440, the management application rescalesthe updated data, and at step 445, the management applicationincorporates the scaled, updated data into the original data.

FIGS. 5A-5C show a procedure for using an application to instantiate anavatar received from a management application in the system of FIG. 1,according to an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 5A, at step 505,the application receives a request from a management application toimmerse an avatar. At step 510, the application identifies the datafields it uses for avatars. At step 515, the application requests fromthe management application the data for the data fields. As shown byarrow 520, steps 510 and 515 can be omitted, if the managementapplication can determine the data fields used by the application andtheir scaling from an independent source (e.g., the certifyingorganization). At step 525, the application receives from the managementapplication the avatar data. At step 530, the application stores thedata in the data fields.

At step 535 (FIG. 5B), the application checks to see if any data fieldswere not filled with data from the management application. If not, thenat step 540, these data fields are identified, and at step 545, theapplication fills these data fields using data from theapplication-specific data store for the avatar (assuming the avatar hadbeen immersed in the application before, and therefore had generatedsuch data. If not, then the avatar fills these data fields with defaultvalues). At step 550, the application transforms the avatar. Asdiscussed above, if the management application performs thetransformation, then step 550 is can be omitted, as shown by arrow 555.At step 560, the application instantiates the avatar, and at step 565,the application updates the data in the data fields as the avatar gainsexperience.

At step 570 (FIG. 5C), the application sends updated data back to themanagement application. At step 575, the application checks to see ifthere is any avatar data that the management application will notmanage. If so, then at step 580, the application identifies thesefields, and at step 585, the application stores the data from thesefields in the application-specific data store.

While the above description focuses on the use of avatars in gamingapplications, a person skilled in the art will recognize that otherenvironments can be used for the avatars. For example, the applicationscan be “stores” in a shopping mall. Properties of the avatars caninclude information about monetary sources (such as bank names androuting numbers, account numbers, authorized users, etc.) and places towhich purchases should be delivered (such as home or business addressand contact persons). The avatar can be immersed in a particular storeto make purchase, with the result that a purchase in the real world isaffected.

For example, the avatar can be immersed in an application representing apizza parlor. The user, through the avatar, can view the orderingoptions and place an order. The store would get from the avatar theaddress to which the order should be delivered. The user would authorizevia the avatar the payment for the order, and the pizza parlor wouldthen instruct a local franchise to deliver the order to the user.

Another possible use for avatars includes medical services. The avatarcan include information about the person's medical history: e.g., recentillnesses, surgical history, medicine allergies, current prescriptions,etc. Emergency personnel can then use the avatar to learn the user'scurrent state and recent history, to better diagnose and treat theproblem. The avatar can receive information from any medical connectionsto the user: for example, if the user is connected to asphygmomanometer, the avatar can store the user's current blood pressureas it is measured. (The avatar can theoretically receive informationfrom wearable devices, and is not limited to receiving data fromemergency equipment. For example, if the user is wearing a heart ratemonitor, the avatar can receive data about the user's heart rate.)

As a more detailed example of how the avatar can be used for medicalservices, consider the following. A person wears, for example, a heartrate monitor, which tracks the person's heart rate. Provided the heartrate monitor has an appropriate software component, the heart ratemonitor can be an application into which the avatar can be immersed. Aconnection can be maintained between the management application and theavatar, even while the avatar is immersed in the heart rate monitor.This connection can be used to transmit data from the avatar back to themanagement application. (This transmission can be continuous, or thedata can be sent in bursts, as desired.)

In the event that a problem arises (e.g., the person's heart begins tofibrillate), the management application can take action on behalf of theperson. The management application can detect the problem in severalways. For example, the heart rate monitor can transmit a specific signalindicating a problem, or the management application can recognize thecurrent heart pattern as indicating fibrillation. Either way, themanagement application can act on the person's behalf: e.g., to alertemergency services. For example, the management application can immersean avatar (either the same avatar immersed in the heart rate monitor oranother avatar) in an application for the local emergency response,providing the person's location and current physical state to theemergency providers. (Note that this can result in the avatar beingimmersed simultaneously in multiple applications.) The managementapplication can then act as a conduit between the two avatars, keepingthe emergency response personnel informed about the person's condition.A person skilled in the art will recognize other ways in which themanagement application can respond to the problem on behalf of theperson.

Yet another use for avatars would be to engage in stock transactions.The avatar can store data about the user's preferences (e.g., riskaversion, stocks of personal interest and personal dislike, investmentlimits, etc.) and can interact with brokerage applications to find waysto improve the user's portfolio. For example, the avatar can be informedabout various stock buy and sell price limits for the user. The avatarcan then be immersed in an application to monitor stock prices. When astock's price reaches a buy or sell limit, the avatar can initiate apurchase or sell order on behalf of the user. If the avatar is notimmersed in the user's brokerage application, the avatar can first beimmersed in the brokerage application, and then the order can beinitiated. (Note that the avatar might be left in the originalapplication to continue to track stock prices, even while immersed inthe brokerage application.) The user can then authorize or reject thetransaction.

As can be seen from the above discussion, avatars can interact withapplications in ways paralleling virtually any interaction a person canhave with others. While specific applications have been discussed above,the use of avatars is not intended to be limited to only the disclosedapplications. A person skilled in the art will recognize how otherapplications can be modified to use immersible avatars in a mannersimilar to that described above.

The above discussion focuses on using the avatar to achieve a result forthe user in the real world (e.g., to order a pizza on behalf of a user,or execute a stock transaction on behalf of a user), or to storeinformation about the user (e.g., medical history). But an avatar canalso store intangible information about the user. For example, asdiscussed above, an avatar can store attributes such as intelligence,charisma, strength, wisdom, etc. These attributes, along with skills andother intangible characteristics, can also represent real worldinformation about a user.

As an example, a user might have real world experience in using a bowand arrow. This can translate into advanced skill status with, say, arifle in a game that uses more modern weaponry. Or, the user'sproficiency might translate into increased accuracy in using a weaponduring the game.

Appropriate use of real world data is important. One of the roles of thecertifying organization can be to identify and enforce appropriate useof real world information. A person of ordinary skill in the art willrecognize that real world data should only be altered in an applicationwhen it is appropriate for that application to do so.

The following discussion is intended to provide a brief, generaldescription of a suitable machine in which certain aspects of theinvention may be implemented. Typically, the machine includes a systembus to which is attached processors, memory, e.g., random access memory(RAM), read-only memory (ROM), or other state preserving medium, storagedevices, a video interface, and input/output interface ports. Themachine may be controlled, at least in part, by input from conventionalinput devices, such as keyboards, mice, etc., as well as by directivesreceived from another machine, interaction with a virtual reality (VR)environment, biometric feedback, or other input signal. As used herein,the term “machine” is intended to broadly encompass a single machine, ora system of communicatively coupled machines or devices operatingtogether. Exemplary machines include computing devices such as personalcomputers, workstations, servers, portable computers, handheld devices,telephones, tablets, etc., as well as transportation devices, such asprivate or public transportation, e.g., automobiles, trains, cabs, etc.

The machine may include embedded controllers, such as programmable ornon-programmable logic devices or arrays, Application SpecificIntegrated Circuits, embedded computers, smart cards, and the like. Themachine may utilize one or more connections to one or more remotemachines, such as through a network interface, modem, or othercommunicative coupling. Machines may be interconnected by way of aphysical and/or logical network, such as an intranet, the Internet,local area networks, wide area networks, etc. One skilled in the artwill appreciated that network communication may utilize various wiredand/or wireless short range or long range carriers and protocols,including radio frequency (RF), satellite, microwave, Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11, Bluetooth, optical,infrared, cable, laser, etc.

The invention may be described by reference to or in conjunction withassociated data including functions, procedures, data structures,application programs, etc. which when accessed by a machine results inthe machine performing tasks or defining abstract data types orlow-level hardware contexts. Associated data may be stored in, forexample, the volatile and/or non-volatile memory, e.g., RAM, ROM, etc.,or in other storage devices and their associated storage media,including hard-drives, floppy-disks, optical storage, tapes, flashmemory, memory sticks, digital video disks, biological storage, etc.Associated data may be delivered over transmission environments,including the physical and/or logical network, in the form of packets,serial data, parallel data, propagated signals, etc., and may be used ina compressed or encrypted format. Associated data may be used in adistributed environment, and stored locally and/or remotely for machineaccess.

Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention withreference to illustrated embodiments, it will be recognized that theillustrated embodiments may be modified in arrangement and detailwithout departing from such principles. And, though the foregoingdiscussion has focused on particular embodiments, other configurationsare contemplated. In particular, even though expressions such as “in oneembodiment” or the like are used herein, these phrases are meant togenerally reference embodiment possibilities, and are not intended tolimit the invention to particular embodiment configurations. As usedherein, these terms may reference the same or different embodiments thatare combinable into other embodiments.

Consequently, in view of the wide variety of permutations to theembodiments described herein, this detailed description and accompanyingmaterial is intended to be illustrative only, and should not be taken aslimiting the scope of the invention. What is claimed as the invention,therefore, is all such modifications as may come within the scope andspirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto.

1. A computer including an application, comprising: a receiver toreceive a request at least one data field used by the application and toreceive data for said at least one data field from a managementapplication, said management application capable of immersing saidavatar into at least the application and a second application offeringdifferent functionality; a transmitter to transmit said at least onedata field to said management application, wherein said at least onedata field do not include at least a second data field for which themanagement application stores data for said avatar; an avatarinstantiator to instantiate said avatar using said received data; a datastore to store data for said avatar unique to the application and notneeded by any other application into which said management applicationcan immerse said avatar; and wherein the transmitter is operative totransmit updated data for said at least one data field to saidmanagement application, after which said avatar is capable of beingimmersed in either the application or said second application, and saidat least one data field stores data according to a standard set by acertifying organization.
 2. A computer according to claim 1, furthercomprising a transformer to transform said avatar to a form consistentwith the application.
 3. A computer according to claim 1, wherein thetransmitter is operative to transmit how to scale said at least one datafield.
 4. A computer according to claim 1, wherein the avatarinstantiator is operative to instantiate said avatar without modifyingsaid received data.
 5. A computer according to claim 1, wherein saidapplication conforms to standards set by the certifying organization. 6.A computer according to claim 1, wherein said at least one data fieldstores real world data about a user,
 7. A computer according to claim 6,wherein said real world data stores information about a characteristicof said user.
 8. A computer-implemented method for an application toimmerse an avatar, comprising: receiving a request from a managementapplication to immerse the avatar in the application, the managementapplication capable of immersing an avatar into at least the applicationand a second application offering different functionality; identifyingat least one data field the application uses for the avatar; sending adata request to the management application, the data request includingthe identified data field and not including a second data field theapplication does not use for the avatar; receiving data for the avatar;storing the data in the data fields; instantiating the avatar in theapplication; updating the data in the data fields; and sending theupdated data to the management application, after which the avatar iscapable of being immersed in either the application or the secondapplication, wherein said identified data field stores data according toa standard set by a certifying organization.
 9. A method according toclaim 8, wherein storing the data includes transforming the avatar intoa form consistent with the application.
 10. A method according to claim8, wherein: the method further comprises: identifying a first data fieldfor which the management application does not store the data; andstoring the data in the first data field for the avatar in a data storefor the application; and sending the updating data includes sending theupdated data other than the data in the first data field to themanagement application.
 11. A method according to claim 8, whereinsending a data request includes sending scales to use in scaling atleast the identified data field, wherein the scales conform to standardsset by a certifying organization.
 12. A method according to claim 11,wherein sending a data request includes obtaining the scales from thecertifying organization to use in scaling at least the identified datafield.
 13. A method according to claim 8, wherein identifying at leastone data field the application uses for the avatar includes identifyingat least one data field storing real world data about a user that theapplication uses for the avatar,
 14. A method according to claim 13,wherein identifying at least one data field storing real world dataabout a user that the application uses for the avatar includesidentifying at least one data field storing information about acharacteristic of said user that the application uses for the avatar.15. An article comprising: a storage medium, said storage medium havingstored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a machine, resultin: receiving a request from a management application to immerse theavatar in the application, the management application capable ofimmersing an avatar into at least the application and a secondapplication offering different functionality; identifying at least onedata field the application uses for the avatar; sending a data requestto the management application, the data request including the identifieddata field and not including a second data field the application doesnot use for the avatar; receiving data for the avatar; storing the datain the data fields; instantiating the avatar in the application;updating the data in the data fields; and sending the updated data tothe management application, after which said avatar is capable of beingimmersed in either the application or said second application, whereinsaid identified data field stores data according to a standard set by acertifying organization.
 16. An article according to claim 15, whereinstoring the data includes transforming the avatar into a form consistentwith the application.
 17. An article according to claim 15, wherein: thestorage medium having stored thereon further instructions, that, whenexecuted by the machine, result in: identifying a first data field forwhich the management application does not store the data; and storingthe data in the first data field for the avatar in a data store for theapplication; and sending the updating data includes sending the updateddata other than the data in the first data field to the managementapplication.
 18. An article according to claim 15, wherein sending adata request includes sending scales to use in scaling at least theidentified data field.
 19. An article according to claim 15, whereinidentifying at least one data field the application uses for the avatarincludes identifying at least one data field storing real world dataabout a user that the application uses for the avatar,
 20. An articleaccording to claim 19, wherein identifying at least one data fieldstoring real world data about a user that the application uses for theavatar includes identifying at least one data field storing informationabout a characteristic of said user that the application uses for theavatar.